The death of the 59-year-old musician in hospital in Paterson, New Jersey has been made public by his fiancee Dawn Felice Jones, and is confirmed by his publicist Lydia Liebman.
- April 2, 2020
AceShowbiz - Grammy-winning jazz trumpeter Wallace Roney has died at the age of 59 after contracting the coronavirus, Covid-19.
The musician, who was celebrated for his interpretations of Miles Davis' work, passed away on Tuesday, March 31, in hospital in Paterson, New Jersey, where he had been admitted last week, his fiancee Dawn Felice Jones told America's National Public Radio.
Confirming Roney's death to CNN, his publicist Lydia Liebman added, "I am saddened to confirm that the iconic trumpeter and jazz legend Wallace Roney passed away due to complications of Covid-19 this morning just before noon."
"Working with Wallace was and will remain one of the greatest privileges of my life. It was an honor to represent him and to be part of his musical world. I cannot even begin to express how much I will miss him and his music."
Born in 1960, Roney trained at Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Howard University and Berklee College of Music, and studied with Davis from 1985 until his death in 1991, performing alongside his mentor at the Montreux Jazz Festival shortly before his passing.
He also won a Grammy in 1994 for the album "A Tribute to Miles", playing Davis's parts alongside the surviving members of the quintet.
Roney is survived by two children from his marriage to late pianist Geri Allen, Barbara and Wallace Jr.
The jazz icon is the latest musician to die from the coronavirus, with Afro-jazz legend Manu Dibango, 86, passing away last week, and country Joe Diffie, 61, and Arrows frontman Alan Merrill, 69, also losing their battle with the virus.
